At the time D’Antoni was speaking, Gasol was playing in a full-court 4-on-4 scrimmage that marked the first time he extended himself beyond halfcourt play in his recovery from a torn plantar fascia. Gasol is waiting to see how the foot feels after being pushed to that level — and whether he feels OK about moving up to full-court 5-on-5 Thursday — before deciding whether he plays Friday.

The Lakers’ next game after that is Monday at Golden State, beginning a four-game trip that goes on to Minnesota, Milwaukee and Sacramento. It appears that trip will be the truest test so far of where the Lakers are at full strength (aside from Jordan Hill, likely out of the season after hip surgery).

We really haven’t seen what the expected starting five of the Lakers — Steve Nash, Kobe, Metta World Peace, Gasol and Dwight Howard — can do. Well, they are 0-5 but with the early season turmoil of injuries and a radical coach and system change, there was no chance to get a read. Certainly they are talented, but how they work together remains to be seen.

All this should let Mike D’Antoni expand his rotation beyond eight players. Then the Lakers are have to both make the playoffs and build up as much chemistry and momentum as they can because their first round test is going to be very difficult, whoever it is.

I don’t remember playing tonight. I didn’t play. Guys get a lot of money to be ready to play. No Knute Rockne speeches. It’s your job. If you’re a plumber and you don’t do your job, you don’t get any work. I don’t think a plumber needs a pep talk. If a doctor botches operations, he’s not a doctor anymore. If you’re a basketball player, you come ready. It’s called maturity. It’s your job.

Like it or not, motivation is part of an NBA coach’s job.

But that’s also precisely what Popovich is doing.

His credentials dwarf any other coach’s. He can play to his own ego and absolve himself of responsibility – and players will seek to please him. His years of success have earned him the ability to motivate this way, a method no other coach could use without alienating his team.

So, why not hold Motiejunas to what became a four-year, $31 million offer sheet once matched? Houston got something in return – a later trigger date on guaranteeing Motiejunas’ 2017-18 salary. Originally, that decision had to be made March 1 – which would’ve meant dropping Motiejunas from the team this season to prevent his salary from counting next season. Now, the Rockets can make that call in July, after this season is complete.

The following two Julys, Houston will also have a choice on guaranteeing Motiejunas’ upcoming salary or dropping him.

Essentially, Motiejunas is signing the most lucrative Hinkie Special in NBA history. If he plays well and stays healthy, the Rockets have Motiejunas at an affordable rate. If he struggles or his back injuries flare up, they can drop him with little to no penalty.

After they backed themselves into this corner, Motiejunas and his agent, B.J. Armstrong, didn’t do so bad. Considering the similarity between this contract and the Nets’ original offer sheet, it seems Houston helped Armstrong save face after a bungled free agency (which is easier to accept when you’re adding a talented reserve to a formidable team).

But for how little is guaranteed and how much control the Rockets hold over the next four years, wouldn’t Motiejunas have been better off accepting the $4,433,683 qualifying offer?

This means Motiejunas can’t sign with the Nets, who signed him to the original offer sheet, for one year.

I bet it also means Motiejunas and Houston have agreed to a new contract. Otherwise, why release him from the offer sheet? The Rockets would be giving up a tremendous amount of leverage out of the goodness of their hearts – unless this is just a prelude to a new deal with Houston.